Broadcast network platform system

1. A broadcast network platform system, comprising: at least one processor; data storage; communication means to communicate with clients and users; broadcast networks having broadcast allocation nodes and sub nodes; a client interface, further comprising: a platform client administration interface further comprising; means to add, delete, and/or modify media content; means to add, delete, and/or modify broadcast networks; means to add, delete, and/or modify video content distributions; and a platform integration system to aggregate media content and programs received from one or more sources; and means to distribute aggregated media content and programs to a plurality of devices; a user interface and aggregation system, further comprising: means to search the media content provided by the client; means to search the broadcast networks for media content; means to search broadcast allocation nodes and sub nodes in the broadcast networks for media content; means to associate at least one URL with media content; means to preview web content via media data; and means to provide a virtual representation of a hierarchical network having entities and sub-entities; a numerical indexing system for nodes and sub-nodes; means to group the entities and sub entities into the numerical indexing system; and means to search numerically assigned broadcast allocation nodes; whereby the client controls media content made available to users by the client, and the user accesses media content provided by the clients based on predetermined search criteria.

2. A system, as in claim 1 , wherein the platform client administration interface further comprises: means to add and delete clients, and means to modify client parameters; means to manage one or more relationships; and means to manage at least one service provider.

3. A system, as in claim 1 , further comprising: A device management interface having means to add, delete, and/or modify parameters of devices associated with a client; means to add, delete, and/or modify parameters of devices associated with a node or sub-node; and means to aggregate media content in compliance with predetermined device parameters.

4. A system, as in claim 1 , further comprising: a stock media database containing stock video data, stock image data, and/or stock audio data; and a multimedia production system having means to select and output video, image, and/or sound data from the stock media database; whereby multimedia data can be produced and output from the stock media database.

5. A system, as in claim 4 , further comprising: input means to input non-stock video, image, and/or audio data to the multimedia production system; means to selectively combine, under client control, the non-stock video, image, and/or audio data with the stock video, image, and/or audio data; and means to track production levels with system status indicators; whereby custom multimedia data can be created by selectively combining stock multimedia data with non-stock multimedia data.

6. A system, as in claim 5 , further comprising: the multimedia production system for generating the non-stock video, image and/or audio data, the media production system further comprises: means to input non-stock video, image, and/or audio data; means to input stock video, image, and/or audio data; means to input voiceover text data; a text to speech synthesizer having means to convert the voiceover text data to voiceover sound data; means to merge the non-stock video, image, and/or audio data with stock video, image, and/or audio data, and voiceover sound data into a merged output file; means to store the merged output file; and means to associate the merged output file with a client.

7. A system, as in claim 1 , further comprising: a media management administration interface for the management of media titles, further comprising: means to associate and/or disassociate one or more media content files with a client; means to assign at least one broadcast directory to a media content file; means to associate at least one URL with a media content file; means to associate metadata with a media content file; and means to associate at least one keyword with a media content file.

8. A system, as in claim 1 , further comprising: distribution means having: means to distribute media content; means to distribute media content to broadcast networks; means to distribute media content to private broadcast network nodes; means to distribute media content to public broadcast network nodes; means to distribute media content to a search repository; means to distribute media content to other entities; means to create, add, delete and modify searchable site titles, descriptions, keywords, icons and/or multimedia files and to associate them with a URL, an external web site a station, a channel or a program; and means to update information related to external web sites associated with the client when changes are made to the external web site.

9. A system, as in claim 7 , wherein: local data storage for storing multimedia files; remote data storage on a remote system for storing multimedia files on the remote system; means to add, remove, and/or manage the remote systems; a binary storage database; and a binary storage database engine.

10. A system, as in claim 9 , wherein: the database engine is coupled to the binary storage database for aggregating binary media content; and the database engine has means for converting the aggregated binary content to a format suitable for a plurality of devices.

11. A system, as in claim 1 , further comprising: a client communication interface, having: means for the client to monitor which users are accessing the client's media content; means for the client to monitor queries input by the user; means for the client to initiate communication with the user; means to communicate with the user via text, video, and/or sound; means to present the user with media content from a search repository; means to provide the user with predetermined query responses when the client is not available; and a user communication interface, having: means for the user to see if the client is available; means for the user to initiate communication with the client; means to receive predetermined query responses when the client is not available; means to output the predetermined query response to the user; means to communicate with the client via text, video, and/or sound; means to present the client with media content from the search repository; and means to determine if a query input by the user does not have a predetermined query response, and if the predetermined query response is not available, means to notify the client.

12. A system, as in claim 1 , further comprising: a platform integration system to aggregate media content to devices, the platform integration system further having: means to output media content in a format suitable for a receiving device; means to output metadata associated with the media content; means to index media content metadata; means to output media content based on locational data provided by the device; means to communicate with a system by a user device having a GPS location detector; means to upload GPS location information from the GPS location detector to the client communication interface; and means to select and provide a predetermined query response to a user based on the GPS location information.

13. A system, as in claim 1 , further comprising: means to designate public and/or private broadcast allocation nodes; means to assign at least one private broadcast allocation node such that the private broadcast allocation node can receive distributed media content solely by its associated client and associated network relationships and subsidiaries; means to assign at least one public broadcast allocation node such that the public broadcast allocation node can receive distributed media content by its associated client, by a user, or by another entity; and means to approve or reject media content distributed to a public or private node.

14. A system, as in claim 1 , further comprising: production workflow management means; having: means to add or delete one or more service providers; means for service providers to add service providers; means to add production orders; means to input video production assets comprising images, text, sound, and video; means to specify video conditions, effects and production attributes to the service provider; means to enable the service provider to use stock images, sound, and video; means to input voiceover text data; means to enter orders into a production pool; means to assign a service provider to produce voiceover text data and input it to the system; a text to speech synthesizer having means to convert the voiceover text data to voiceover sound data; means to assign service providers to specific production tasks; means to assign production orders to users in the service providers account; means to allow the user to accept or deny the production order; and means to reexecute the production order when denied by the user; whereby custom multimedia data can be created by service providers.

15. A broadcast network platform system, comprising: at least one processor; data storage; communication means to communicate with clients and users; broadcast networks having broadcast allocation nodes and sub nodes; a client interface, further comprising: a platform client administration interface further comprising; means to add, delete, and/or modify media content; means to add, delete, and/or modify broadcast networks; means to add, delete, and/or modify video content distributions; and a platform integration system to aggregate media content and programs received from one or more sources; and means to distribute aggregated media content and programs to a plurality of devices; a user interface, further comprising: means to search the media content provided by the client; means to search the broadcast networks for media content; means to search broadcast allocation nodes and sub nodes in the broadcast networks for media content; means to associate at least one URL with media content; and means to preview web content via media data; means to provide a virtual representation of a hierarchical network having entities and sub-entities; a numerical indexing system for nodes and sub-nodes; means to group the entities and sub entities into the numerical indexing system; and means to search numerically assigned broadcast allocation nodes; whereby the client controls media content made available to users by the client, and the user accesses media content provided by the clients based on predetermined search criteria.

16. A system, as in claim 15 , wherein: the entities and sub-entities of the hierarchical network further comprise a station, a station channel, and a channel program.

17. A system, as in claim 15 , wherein: the entities and sub-entities of the hierarchical network further comprise: a virtual representation of a domain or sub-domain which may be associated with a selected network, or program; and/or a virtual representation of a physical facility having one or more venues; and/or a virtual representation of a corporate entity having one or more publications, each publication associated with a node or sub-node.

18. A method for clients to control and distribute information to users of a broadcast network platform system on a global computer network, including the steps of: hierarchically storing and organizing information on broadcast networks having broadcast allocation nodes and sub nodes; using a client interface to add, delete, and/or modify media content, and to add, delete, and/or modify broadcast networks, under control of the client; creating media content by aggregating data and programs received from one or more sources; distributing aggregated media content and programs to one or more devices; using a user interface to search the broadcast networks for media content provided by the client; associating at least one URL with media content; and previewing the media content; whereby the client controls media content made available to users by the client, and the user accesses media content provided by the clients based on predetermined search criteria; storing stock media in a stock media database containing stock video data, stock image data, and/or stock audio data; inputting non-stock video, image, and/or audio data; selectively combining under client control, the non-stock video, image, and/or audio data with the stock video, image, and/or audio data; inputting voiceover text data and converting the voiceover text data to voiceover sound data; merging the non-stock video, image, and/or audio data with stock video, image, and/or audio data, and voiceover sound data into a merged output file and storing the merged output file; associating the merged output file with a client; whereby custom multimedia data can be created by selectively combining stock multimedia data, non-stock multimedia data, and/or voiceover.

19. A method, as in claim 18 , including the additional steps of: monitoring users who are accessing the client's media content, or inputting queries to the client; initiating communication between the client and the user via text, video, and/or sound in response to the user's access of client media content or in response to a user query; and providing predetermined query responses to the user when the client is not available.

20. A method, as in claim 18 , including the additional steps of: storing media content on local data storage, remote data storage on a remote system, and/or on a local binary storage database; using a database engine is coupled to the binary storage database to aggregate binary media content; and using the binary storage database engine to convert the aggregated binary content to one or more predetermined output formats.

21. A method, as in claim 18 , including the additional steps of: adding or deleting one or more service providers and service providers; inputting production orders; inputting image, text, sound, and video production data; inputting instructions defining video conditions, effects and production attributes; providing stock images, sound, and video; inputting voiceover text data; entering orders into a production pool; assigning a voiceover sub-service provider to produce voiceover text data and input it to the system; converting the voiceover text data to voiceover sound data; assigning specific production tasks to selected service providers; assigning production orders to users in the service providers account; accepting or denying the production order; and reexecuting the production order when denied; whereby custom multimedia data can be created by service providers.